Life is for the alive
by KathyLovettLestrange
Summary: Lucy poisoned herself. The judge is finally dead. But how will Sweeney Todd's life go on? And what if only one word of Mrs. Lovett changes his life completely? Will they become lucky together? Pairing: Sweeney Todd/Eleanor Lovett. Disclaimer: I don't own Sweeney Todd.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys, I hope you'll like this fanfiction!**

**I totally ship Sweeney and Nellie, so I think they deserve a chance to get lucky together...**

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"Brought you some breakfast, dear!" Cheerfully as always the baker entered into the little room above her pie shop and put the tablet onto a commode. She sighted quietly when the barber who was starring out of the window didn't react. Of course he had heard her, of course he had. Though he didn't mind her really. As always. For the baker it was horrible. She cared for him, every day she did, and he? Even didn't talk with her, just stared out of the window.

"Mr. T., might I ask you a question?" Now he had no other choice than to answer her.

"What?", the barber said. There was no emotion in his voice and he didn't stop staring out of the window. But he didn't ignore the baker and that was what she wanted. She wanted him to talk with her.

"What did your Lucy look like?", the baker asked. It was nothing the barber liked to talk about. "Can't really remember, can't you?", she continued.

Finally the barber answered. "She had yellow hair."

Again the baker sighted. Slowly she stepped behind him. "You've got to leave all this behind you now. She's gone.", she tried to make it clear to him. He couldn't stand there for the rest of his life and think about the past. It all happened fifteen years ago, it wasn't easy for him. The baker knew all this, but – unlike the barber - she also knew that his life had to go on.

"Life is for the alive, my dear. We could have a life, we two... Maybe not like I dreamed, maybe not like you remember. But we could get by", she said. Now the barber finally turned and looked at her. Her gaze was painful, sad. She knew that she would never have him if he couldn't forget his past. Or get over it, at least. She knew that he didn't realize what she really felt for him, why she would do everything for him. As long as he only could think of his dead wife and revenge, he wouldn't learn to love again.

The barber looked at her, he knew that she maybe wanted to help him. But he couldn't forget everything. His wife was dead and his daughter... There was this judge, he had the barber's child and the judge was the one who destroyed the barber's family, his life.

He had had such a wonderful life. And now? Now he only could think of revenge. His life would never be again what it had been. He had nothing. In his life was no place for love and happiness. There was nothing but sorrow and anger.

The baker couldn't stand any more where she was. It almost broke her heart when she saw him so depressed every day. It was worse for her than the fact that he would never feel the same for her as she felt for him.

She stepped closer to the barber and pressed her lips on his. She expected that he would push her away, but... he didn't.

He was like dazed when he stroke over her cheek and kissed her back. The baker just took his hand and dragged him downstairs, into her bedroom. Without hesitating the barber followed her. The baker closed the door while the barber started to kiss her neck. His lips wandered down to her naked shoulders and at the same time he opened her corset.

The baker knew that it wasn't love. Though she didn't stop him and took off his west and shirt. She shivered slightly when his cold lips again touched hers. The barber took off the dress of the woman in front of him. She was only his neighbour and somebody who helped him with his revenge. But he couldn't stop kissing her. He pushed her onto the bed, her hands moved over his back, down to his trouser.

They both knew how it would end. But why not having a little bit fun in life at least? The barber didn't know why he was doing that, why he had such a big longing.

Also the baker couldn't explain why the barber was doing this. She had expected that he would reject her, hate her.

After this, they both knew, everything would go on like always. They wouldn't talk about it, they would live their everyday life. He would kill his costumers and she would make her meat pies...

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**As you see, the prologue is a scene from the movie... With another ending.**

**I hope that you liked it, please review if you'd like to see how it will go on! :)**


	2. Learning to love again?

The judge was dead. Finally. As well as the beadle and many other innocent people. Sweeney Todd sat in Mrs. Lovett's pie shop with a beaker of gin in his hand. Sometimes he had the require to sit there, just to get some gin and to think about something.

The barber watched Mrs. Lovett how she cleaned her kitchen. He normally didn't talked much with the baker. Mostly there was no reason to talk, so why should he say something?

"Mrs. Lovett?", he asked suddenly. Surprised she looked up. Sweeney Todd started a conversation with her? Or did he just need some help?

"Yes?" She waited for him to go on.

"I should be grateful to you", the barber started, looking at the floor. In the last time he usually didn't speak more than two sentences. "I mean... Because you let me live here and help me..."

"That... That's no problem, Mr. Todd", Mrs. Lovett interrupted him. He actually spoke with her. And he had been the one who had started to talk. Well, it was almost self-evident for her to let him live above her shop and to care for him. Even if he didn't care for her at all.

"And Mr. Todd? You don't have to be so formal. If you like, you can just call me Nellie", she said.

Sweeney looked at her. "Only if you just call me Sweeney."

She was right. Why did they still call each other by their last names? After all they did something like working together.

But at the same time he realized that he knew not very much about this woman. Yes, what did he know? That she was a widow, that she made meat pies and that she liked children. That was not much.

Sweeney had never been really interested in her. Or her life. Or what she did the whole day. He had never thanked her. He only had thought of his Lucy and the judge who was dead now. Had he been able to kill him without Eleanor Lovett? Where would he be now if she hadn't been so kind to give him a place to live? She even cooked for him, every day.

All the things she had done for him, all the times she had had to endure the angry barber.

Slowly she started to be interesting for him... Once more he looked at her. She seemed worried. And Sweeney knew probably why.

"Is it because of Toby?", he asked.

Nellie raised her head startled. She hadn't expected that Sweeney would talk again. Over all that he would ask something like that.

"Well... I have no idea where the boy is", she answered quietly. She feared that Toby would go to the police sooner or later and she also feared that he could die outside without a home. It was hard for her to hide the tears. Toby had become like a son for her. She always had dreamed of children, a family.

Nellie decided to sit down, at the other side of the table where Sweeney sat. In the last time she was more tired than usual.

Too much thoughts were in her mind. Toby... And Sweeney of course. She always had loved him, had wanted a family. The whole time she suffered because it was a dream who never would be true. Because Sweeney Todd didn't love her, she was only his neighbour. He loved Lucy. But Lucy was dead.

_He'll never love me..._, she thought. _We could get lucky together... If he only loved me._

"Nellie?" Sweeney interrupted her thoughts. "Are you all right?"

"Of course I am", Nellie answered. "I... Maybe I just work too much today", she said and tried to sound convincingly. What was going on with her?

She shook her head and sighted after Sweeney went upstairs again. Why did it interest the barber whether she was okay? No, she wasn't really okay. Because she was tired and over all because the barber didn't love her and probably never would.

She was a strong woman. But even a woman like her needed someone who loved her and who cared for her.

"Maybe one day, you'll learn to love again, Sweeney", she muttered and added in her mind: _...To love me. _

In the evening Sweeney couldn't sleep at all. He shouldn't think of _her_. Not of Eleanor Lovett...

She was really kind to him, yes. But he loved _Lucy_, didn't he? So why was he thinking of his neighbour all the time?

_Something's wrong with her_, he thought. She had told him to stop killing people. So he had stopped although he didn't know why Nellie had wanted it. She had suggested putting people into her meat pies, hadn't she?

And she was more chaotic than usual. She was a chaotic person, of course, but not _that_ chaotic. Sweeney had watched how she cleaned the same things twice. Should he be worried because of that? Lovett, Lovett, Lovett... No, he should get her out of his mind!

If she only knew that he even couldn't sleep because of her! It was like betraying Lucy for him. But Lucy was dead. Dead. He would never see her again... He even didn't know whether he would see his daughter again.

_Please take care for her, Anthony_, he thought. At least Johanna wasn't in the mercy of the bloody judge any more.

His family... He hadn't a family. He had nothing. And suddenly Eleanor Lovett was in his mind again. It was impossible that he liked her more as he wanted to admit. No, he didn't love her! Of course he didn't. He couldn't! Never. He had swore himself that he wouldn't love again. That he wouldn't forget and that he wouldn't forgive.

Sweeney Todd had wanted to take revenge. Not to love somebody. So why was he thinking of her then?

Desperately he shook his head. "This woman is a bloody wonder!"

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**I hope you liked this chapter! Will there be a chance for Sweeney and Nellie? Just let me know what you think and what you think how it will go on ;)**

**I'll try to write a new chapter as fast as I can **


	3. Getting sick

**Aww, thank you for the lovely reviews :')**

**So here's a new chapter, I hope you like it!**

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Sweeney started to talk more with Nellie with the days which passed by. When she brought him breakfast for example. And sometimes, he even came into her shop for eating. When they talked, they talked about normal things like politics and what was going on in London.

Nellie had no idea what had changed the depressed barber. Although it seemed like he would like her, she still didn't think that he would ever love again. She hoped it, dreamed of it, couldn't sleep because of it. But she knew that there was a world which someone could dream and a world which was reality. And in the reality, she didn't believe in a future with Sweeney.

Nellie didn't know what he was thinking about her. He also wouldn't tell her for sure.

_At least he asks how I am_, she thought. And she always told him that everything was all right. But she was tired. It couldn't be that she worked too much, could it? She needed to work! Otherwise her day would be too boring! It was often tiring, but usually she wasn't that tired then. So one worry more after the thing with Toby. The police hadn't been there yet...

_Eleanor Lovett_, she thought, _What is wrong with you?_

At the moment Sweeney had some customers. The barber wouldn't kill them. "No more corpses any more!", she had told him. What a undetermined woman. First she said that it would be good for the business and then she couldn't see dead people for no longer.

"Have a good day, Sir", Sweeney said to the last customer for now. He stared through the window down on the street. It was a grey day in the end of September. Probably it would rain later. It was going to be winter soon... Some weeks ago he had stood there and thought of Lucy. Now he thought of Eleanor Lovett.

He knew that the baker lied when she said that she was all right. Why was she lying to him? Did she want him to worry about her?! _Oh, if she only knew what she's doing to me!_, he thought. Sweeney was almost annoyed of it. He had no idea what happened with his neighbour. _She thinks that I don't notice that something is wrong with her. But I see that she isn't as awake as always!_

Well, he hadn't really care for her when he had come back to London. He had been too obsessed with revenge. But in the last time, something inside him had changed. Nellie wasn't just his neighbour, she became something like... a friend. His only one.

So how should he show it to her? He wasn't really good in showing feelings, except for anger and sadness.

Sweeney even didn't know if it was appropriate to let her know that he exactly knew that she lied to him.

The barber sighed and was shocked when a voice in his head said that he actually was about falling in love with the baker.

Nellie laid on her couch, reading a book. There had been many people in her pie shop today and now she just felt sick. "You can't get sick now, there are costumers every day and you know that you can't close the shop because you need the money!", she said to herself emphatically. Getting sick was the last thing she could need now. It would become cold soon and then she had to heat her shop and her rooms in which she lived. And this wasn't very cheap. So she just could hope that enough people would come in winter for eating something.

_If you only knew, Sweeney..._, she thought and sighed. She would sit alone in her little living room in front of the chimney. There would be no one to hug her and to warm her. Well, there never had been someone, but she had often dreamed how Sweeney would do. Dreams, nothing but dreams.

She closed her eyes for a moment. _I'm acting like a pregnant woman_, she thought. In the same moment she rejected this thought. Pregnant? No. Why should she be pregnant. That was completely impossible. "All proofs that I'm getting old, sick and even sick in the brain", she muttered and shook her head.

"Are you talking with yourself or with some ghosts?", suddenly a male voice asked. "Just think that I'm totally daft, Sweeney", Nellie answered without looking to the door, where the barber stood. "How long are you standing here?"

"I just came down right now. May I... May I come in?", he asked hesitatingly.

"Of course you can, love", Nellie said and turned around now. "Take a seat."

Sweeney sat down and looked at her. "Shall I bring you some tea or coffee?", the baker asked and was about to stand up, but Sweeney shook his head. "No, thank you. You... You look sick", he said.

"That bad?", Nellie asked and frowned.

"I'm sorry, but... yes", Sweeney told her. "Maybe you should go to a doctor?"

The baker sighed. "Maybe I actually should. I mean, if even you see that I'm getting sick..."

So it wasn't just her who thought that she would get sick. But it also made her lucky to see, that Sweeney Todd seemed to worry about her and noticed her.

_Maybe there's still hope for us_, she thought with a little smile.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that it's nothing bad. Only a cold for sure", Sweeney said. He actually couldn't imagine seeing Nellie laying sick in the bad, not able to work. So he just hoped that she would go to a doctor. A sick Eleanor Lovett... No, no, no. It was worse enough that _he_ got sick because of her.

He gave her a little smile before he left. In the last time – the last fifteen years, to be more specific - he almost hadn't smiled at all. He was somehow lucky that there was again somebody to care for. On the other side it was unfamiliar and strange after all these years. But he couldn't do something else than to care for his neighbour because it felt like he owed her. Whatever the reason was...

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**So, what's going on with our poor Nellie? And will Sweeney ever learn to love her?**

**Tell me what you think!**

**For the curious ones of you: You know, I'm writing as fast as I can :p**


	4. Out of my mind

**Thanks you for the lovely reviews I'm really lucky that you like the story!**

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Slowly Sweeney walked down the stairs. Then he noticed that Nellie's pie shop was closed, what was very unusual. Her shop was _never _closed, except for night. And Sweeney didn't remember that today was something special.

He went into her kitchen. No, Nellie wasn't there. So she actually had to have gone outside. He just hoped that she had gone to a doctor.

_Stop worrying about her. She's a grown-up woman and knows what she does_, he thought.

The barber started to make a breakfast for himself. Shaving men with a hungry stomach wasn't really nice.

For how long did he know Nellie now? She already had lived in the Fleet Street when he had been here with Lucy. Nellie had bought the shop shortly before the barber had to go to jail for no reason. When he had come back, she still was there. She even hadn't rent out the room above her shop. The room he had lived in for so many years. Had she been waiting for him to come back to London? Had she known that he would come back?

Thoughtfully Eleanor walked down the streets. She didn't really need to come home fast. The mostly so confident woman didn't know whether she should laugh or cry. She was happy and kind of desperate at once. And how should she tell Sweeney? How would he react? Would he get angry or just leave her? Or something else? This man was unpredictable at all!

She actually hadn't felt very well, so she had gone to the doctor. And then her life had changed from one second to the other.

186 Fleet Street. The way had seemed shorter than usual. Why hadn't she taken a longer way... Nellie almost didn't dare to enter her home. Sighing she opened the door.

"Ah, you're back", somebody said. Frightened she jumped. "Sweeney!", she said lauder than she wanted. "Sorry, you've frighten me." Then she took a deep breath. Should he talk with him now? Or was it better to wait?

"Have you been at the doctor?", Sweeney asked. Nellie nodded. "Yes. No need to worry, my dear. Everything is okay", she answered. She wasn't lying, but she also didn't want to tell him the whole truth. At least not _now_. First she needed to accustom to the thought by herself before she could tell someone. It was wrong, she knew, but what should she do? It was complicated for her.

"Don't you have to work?", she asked, trying to sound normal. It would be better for her now to not see the barber.

She was confused, out of her mind. She needed time to understand everything, to think about it. To think about how it should go on now.

Sweeney frowned. He wasn't sure whether really everything was okay with Nellie. She was strange in many ways, but not strange like at the moment.

"Yes, of course. I just had some breakfast before going to start working", he answered. There was something Nellie was hiding from him. He didn't know exactly what and why, but he had this feeling that she hadn't told him everything and something encumbered her.

When he left the baker to start his working day, he couldn't stop thinking of her. Sweeney sighed. He didn't know what to do. Could he just listen to this little voice in his head which said that he loved Nellie? He feared loving after all what had happened. He feared to get hurt again.

But Nellie wasn't like other women. She had something strange and mysterious. She was mostly in a good mood and it seemed like her life wouldn't be bad, but she also had a dark side. A part of her was marked by sadness and pain. Like him.

Maybe he actually should find out more about Nellie's life, her story. Maybe he would undersand her better then.

And he definitley should find out why her shop was closed the whole time today and what she was hiding from him. If she was hiding it so much, it had to be something important. And this something had to do with him, otherwise she would tell him without hasitating for sure.

The barber decided to go to her later, when work was finished. He had to talk with her. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep because this woman got him completely out of his mind!

Sweeney found Nellie sitting at the table when he came down to her in the evening. Her head rested on her hands and her expression wasn't clear. Had she cried?

"Sweeney?", she asked quietly. So she had noticed him.

"Yes, it's me." The barber sat down opposite her. "And now tell me please what's vexing you, my dear."

"We need to talk." Nellie tried to get some more time. Nervously she bit her lip. She felt how Sweeney's gaze rested on her, how he waited for her to go on. Should she really tell him? If she only knew how he would react!

The baker stared uneasily at the floor. She wasn't able to look into his eyes, too much she feared his reaction.

_If he only loved me, everything would be so easy..._, she thought desperately. _We could be lucky together, he would understand me and... It just would be much easier. For all of us._

She took a deep breath. Maybe she shouldn't tell him. Maybe it was better if he didn't know. But it concerned him too and sooner or later Sweeney would find it out anyway. And then he probably would be angry because she hadn't told him.

Nellie tried to suppress her fear. She knew that she had no other choice. The only thing she could do was to hope. To hope that Sweeney would understand her, that he would stay. She could live alone, but now she needed him more than ever before! She couldn't be without him now!

So how should she tell him best? Finally she brought out the words with trembling voice.

"I'm pregnant."

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**And, and and? Who knew it? Come on, raise your hands ;D **

**Do you like this chapter? Please give me some reviews, you'll even get a free meat pie ;)**


	5. Tears

**Thank you to everyone who reviews, follows and favorites! It's a really big motivation for me^^**

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Pregnant. There was only this one word in Sweeney Todd's mind. _Pregnant._ The time seemed to stand still for him. The passing by seconds were agonizing long. The barber had no idea what he should say, he wasn't able to speak or move. To do anything.

"Mine?", he asked tonelessly, it was more a statement than a question. A really stupid one. Damn, of course it was his!

"Yes, it's yours", Nellie answered quietly.

How should he react? He still looked at a very desperate Eleanor Lovett. She had just changed his life completely. With this one word. _Pregnant_.

Tears gathered in Nellie's eyes. Without saying one word she stood up and went fast into her bedroom, leaving a shocked Sweeney Todd behind her. She let herself fall onto her bed. Silently she started to cry, didn't try to stop the tears.

There had been no reaction of Sweeney. Maybe he needed some time to get it. And what then? The baker was helpless. She loved him. And he was the father of her child, the tiny life which was growing inside her.

"Please let your child have a father, Sweeney...", she muttered with tearful voice. Nellie wondered whether he could accept that she was the mother of his child. Whether he even wanted a child... With her...

_For sure he would be happy if his Lucy was pregnant... Lucy is dead. I'm not Lucy and I also never will be Lucy! I'm just a baker with too many dreams which will never become true_, she thought sadly.

Her life wasn't the same. Soon she would have to raise up a little baby. _Please don't let me do this alone... I need you, Sweeney! I need you... _

The tears ran over her face. Protecting she put her hand on her belly. Whatever Sweeney would do, she wouldn't give her child away. If needed, she would work more to get more money! She would even leave London. But she would do everything, really everything, to give her child a good life! Whatever Sweeney would do...

Restlessly Sweeney walked around in his little room. "Pregnant...", he muttered all the time. Eleanor Lovett was expecting a child, _his_ child. He remembered when Lucy had told him that she was pregnant. He remembered the birth of his little daughter Johanna. How lucky they had been. How the little baby had smiled at him with these big, blue eyes. Like her mother...

And now he would become a father again. He remembered Nellie when she had told him that she was pregnant. She hadn't seemed happy. But she should be happy about it because she always had wanted to have children... Was it because of him? No, no, no, it couldn't be.

She had been so desperate. Sweeney needed to talk with her. If she wanted to talk with him. No, he would go and talk with her! It was _his_ child and she was it's mother! He couldn't just run away from everything.

"Sweeney Todd, you will go and tell her what you think. You will tell her that you'll care for her and the baby."

The barber started to think of what he could say. The last thing he wanted was to harm Nellie. He had been too rude at her so often... But he had nothing what he could give her. He wasn't rich, he even hadn't an own house.

Maybe some words would help. Sweeney couldn't see her that sad. He just couldn't. A month ago he wouldn't have minded what the baker thought or how she felt, but in the last days something had changed him. He still was marked by darkness and loneliness, but maybe he really could learn again to... love somebody.

He didn't know how it would go on. He didn't know whether he would be a good father. _I hope you want your child to have a father, Nellie_, he thought. At least he would try it...

Nellie tried to cry herself into sleep. Unsuccessful. The tears didn't stop running down her cheeks. She couldn't sleep. She was sad. She was angry. She didn't know why, but she was angry. So she stood up and went into her living room. There she started to clean the little table like mad, needed to calm down herself somehow. Of course she wasn't very silent while cleaning her house in the middle of the night. She just wanted to scream, to hit something.

Why was this happening to her? Why?! Hadn't she, Eleanor Lovett, the right to be lucky?!

If Sweeney only knew how much she loved him. If he only knew. She searched for something that she could smash onto the floor.

Then she once more burst into tears. She was weak. She wasn't the strong woman who never cried. The baker wasn't able to stand any more, she was crying too hard. She couldn't change what had happened. She couldn't turn back the time.

She wished that there was someone who would just hold her and let her cry. Someone who would told her that everything was all right. Someone who would warm her in this cold London night. And this someone should be Sweeney... What was he doing, she wondered. Sleeping? Packing his stuff to leave her?

Crying she collapsed on her couch.

When he heard the noises from Nellie's shop, Sweeney knew that she wasn't sleeping. He sighed worried. Probably it was the best to go down to her now. He should look after her. Sweeney had tried to sleep, but he couldn't. He didn't mind that he was wearing a pyjama, more important was for him to get to Nellie. Frowning he went downstairs. What was she doing in the middle of the night?

Then he heard her sob. The barber was kind of shocked when he looked into Nellie's living room.

This time he didn't ask whether he could come in. He just went in.

"Eleanor!", he whispered.

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**Well, I know it's not a very cheerful chapter... I hope you liked it though and I promise, the next chapter won't be so sad.**

**But please tell me what you think about it :)**


	6. The one you love

**Thank you for the reviews :) It really motivates me to keep writing! So here's a new chapter and, as I promised, it won't be that sad... It's kind of fluffy, I know, but I can't see Nellie suffering any more. Okay, enough of my prattling^^ I hope you enjoy it!**

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It was heartbreaking to see her sitting there, on her couch. Crying. Her hands covered her face, her whole body trembled. Without thinking much about it, Sweeney put a blanket over her shoulders. It was cold and she was so helpless, so desperate.

He sat down beside her and pressed her to himself, wrapped his arms around her body to calm her.

"Shh... Eleanor... Stop crying, please", he said quietly. In this moment something inside Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street, changed completely. At least his thoughts and feelings about Eleanor Lovett.

There had been all the time somebody who had cared for him. She had done everything for him. She had even risked to get killed by him just to be near to him. He wasn't alone in this cruel world.

God, this woman loved him! And now she cried, probably because of him.

Softly Sweeney stroke her hair out of her face. The white nightdress let her look even paler, but she was... beautiful. The barber carefully wiped her tears away.

"Everything is all right, Nellie. There's no reason for your tears", he muttered.

"I'm sorry...", Nellie whispered, just about to start crying again. Sweeney shook his head.

"Shh..."

Nellie still trembled, had tears in her eyes. The baker waited for what Sweeney would do next. She was still in his arms, like a little child. Too much she would like to know what he thought, why he was so kind to her.

"You don't have to be kind to me", she said. Her voice was faint and rough from all the tears she had cried. She didn't wanted her baby to be the reason for it's father to be kind. _She_ should be the reason.

"Eleanor", Sweeney whispered and stroke over her cheek.

Nellie closed her eyes when she felt his cold, rough fingers touching her skin. She was like in trance when she listened to his words. He was repeating _her _words.

"We can have a life, we two. Maybe not like I remember, maybe not like you dreamed. But we can get by..."

Suddenly she felt his rough lips on hers. Nellie couldn't do something else than to kiss him back. That was, what Heaven had to be like. She wasn't sure if it was just a dream or reality. But for the first time today she was lucky. Free from all sorrows. Free from all doubts.

Finally she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him with all her passion. He was kissing her, he really was. She always had known that the barber wasn't so demon as it always seemed.. He wasn't Benjamin Barker any more, but he still could love, he still was human.

Finally she was at the point in her life which she had imagined every night. That Sweeney Todd would kiss her, that he would tell her of a life together.

Nellie sighed quietly. _Never let me go..._, she thought contently. It seemed like the barber had at last realized that she loved him.

It didn't feel wrong. It felt... right. It felt right to kiss her, to hold her in his arms. And this time, he wasn't thinking of Lucy. He couldn't betray her. The only person he was able to betray was himself.

There was a chance for him to get lucky, he could have a family again. This family was right here, in his arms.

He loved Eleanor Lovett, he did. The whole time he had been too obsessed by revenge to understand that he loved the baker. That she was the reason why he couldn't sleep, not Lucy. She was the one he loved, not Lucy.

This feeling of her soft lips, her skin... Sweeney realized what life was worth to live for. There were reasons for him to keep living his life.

The barber looked into her warm, brown eyes. She was smiling, seemed suddenly so happy. But he also saw that she urgently needed to sleep.

Carefully he carried her into her bedroom and laid her down on her bed. Nellie didn't protest, she just held his hand.

Sweeney covered her with the blanket. Did he smile? It was dark, she couldn't see his expression, but she was quite sure that the barber smiled.

_I always knew that you haven't lost your kindness..._, she thought. He had never been so kind to her, he had never kissed her. Except this one time when they had created a little life... But this time he had kissed her with _love_. She had thought that he would never love her.

Nellie felt the tears in her eyes when Sweeney once more stroke softly over her cheek. Tears of joy. Finally she had hope, the hope of a future with the man she loved. And a little child. Warmth flowed through her body when she thought of it.

"Sleep now", Sweeney whispered. She actually was very tired. At least she could close her eyes with the certitude that the barber didn't hate her, didn't want to go.

"Please stay here...", she muttered before she finally fell asleep with a smile.

The moonlight fell on her face, emphasized her beautiful lineaments. She laid there so silently and innocently, looked so peaceful. Sweeney wouldn't leave her, he would care for her tonight. And not only this night, he would care for her every night. Every day.

Nellie was sleeping without losing her smile. There would be no nightmares.

To see her lucky made Sweeney kind of lucky. He was ready to leave the past behind, ready to start with a new part of his life.

Of course the barber would never change completely, the evil part inside him would never disappear. It was impossible to forget all the things which had happened, they were a part of his life, of him.

But nothing would ever harm his Nellie and their unborn child. Yes, _his _Nellie. _His _wonderful Nellie Lovett.

Benjamin Barker was dead, like Lucy. He would never come to life again, his own life had killed him many years ago.

But Sweeney Todd and Eleanor Lovett were alive, looking forward to a future together. They would keep living their lives. With the one they loved.

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**Please let me some reviews... A free shave for everyone who reviews :'D**

**And please tell my what should happen next, I don't have very much ideas at the moment... ._. So I'd be thankful for every suggestion of you :D**


	7. Just three words

**Thanks for the lovely reviews, guys **

**Dark Angel: Thanks for the ideas, I'll try to bring them into the story during the next chapters! If you have more ideas, just tell me :)**

**So here's the next chapter. I don't really like it, but... well.**

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A little bit confused, Nellie woke up. How had she come into her bed last night? She was sure that she had been on her couch. But after some minutes she remembered everything, that had happened, again.

Sweeney, the kiss... How he had carried her into her bed. And there he laid, right beside her. He must have fallen asleep there.

Nellie smiled when she saw him wearing a pyjama. Yesterday she hadn't noticed it at all. He looked kind of cute with it, she had to admit. She had never seen him before sleeping. Sometimes she wondered whether he slept at all at night.

Nellie had woken up beside the demon barber, like she always had dreamed. Lovingly she looked at him. She didn't want to wake him up, so she sat up as quietly as she could. But this movement obviously woke him.

"Good morning, Nellie", he muttered.

"Good morning... You must have fallen asleep here", she answered. "Thank you for what you did last night."

Sweeney shook his head. "You told me to stay here. I hope it was okay that I slept in your bed."

"Well, I think I can forgive you this awful crime", Nellie said with mock seriousness. "But only because it's you, Mr. T."

Then Sweeney stood up. "I should get myself ready. Customers will come soon."

Nellie nodded. "I'll make breakfast, love."

After Sweeney had left the room, she almost started to jump for joy. He had stayed there because she had wanted it! Cheerfully she changed her clothes and made her hair.

Then she went luckily into the kitchen and started to make breakfast, as always.

Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street, smiled. He actually smiled. Eleanor Lovett had made the impossible possible. She kept him alive, she was his reason to live. He finally could let his past go. More or less.

This woman was a bloody wonder. A really beautiful one. She was strong, but she needed to be loved. She wanted _his_ love. And she should get his love.

The barber didn't want to lie at himself any more. He loved her and nothing could change it.

After washing himself and putting on some clean clothes, he went downstairs where he met a very happy Nellie Lovett.

"Breakfast is ready!", she shouted from the kitchen and a minute later, she came out with coffee, toast and scrambled eggs.

Sweeney sat down and looked at her. "Nellie, we need to talk."

Expectantly she looked at him. "Yes?"

"Well, you should know that I won't leave you... and our baby", he said. Immediately, Nellie started to smile.

"I'm glad to hear this. I don't want to let my child grew up without a father, you know."

Sweeney just nodded. They would get by. He earned enough money at the moment and Nellie's business brought also money. He didn't know for how long she would be able to work – although he knew that she would work as long as possible because she couldn't live without work - , but it would be enough money to live.

"Time to work", he sighed after breakfast. He really didn't want to leave her for the rest of the day, but the work waited...

Nellie touched his shoulder. "Don't worry, evening will come soon."

With this words she took the plates and went into her kitchen, starting to make her pies.

"Have a nice evening, Sir", Nellie said to her last customer. Tiredly she turned the sign at the door. _Closed. _It was exhausting to make meat pies all the day, to serve the customers and to clean the shop then. And since she was pregnant, it was even more exhausting for her.

But work needed to get finished. She could sweep the floor tomorrow, but the dishes couldn't wait. _All right, then_, she thought. _After this you can just lay down, drink some tea and read a book. _

There was some food for her and Sweeney left, like every day. So the baker didn't need to cook again at least.

She had thought of Sweeney the whole day. The last night was something she wouldn't forget. For other people it wouldn't be very special, but for _her_ it had been one of the most wonderful moments in life.

Nellie wondered when Sweeney would close his shop for today. She really couldn't wait to see him. The days were getting shorter, colder. It was always cold in winter. Too cold for her liking. Besides, she needed to pay for heating the house. And she would need to buy all this baby stuff. She just hoped that there was enough money...

Lost in thoughts, she didn't notice that Sweeney had come inside. So she jumped and almost dropped the plate in her hand when he suddenly stood behind her.

"Do you always have to give me such a fright!", she said.

"Let me help you, my pet", Sweeney answered and took the plate out of her hand to dry it. Silently they stood next to each other, saying nothing.

Nellie liked how he cared for her. It gave her a feeling of love and closeness.

"Now go and get some rest, I'll bring you a cup of tea", Sweeney said after finishing. He wondered how many nights _she _hadn't slept. He was sure that she had cried often. Sweeney knew that her life wasn't easy and he just had made it worse the whole time. He was an idiot, wasn't he? Blind of anger and his own sorrows. But he'd make it up to her.

The barber put all the things on a tablet and brought it into Nellie's living room.

He softly smiled at her while having dinner together. And she smiled back. How had he even could think of killing this woman?! Yes, he definitely was an idiot.

"Did you have many costumers today?", he asked.

"Yes, as always in the last time. Hard work, but it brings some money." Nellie started to tell him about her day, talkative as she was.

Sweeney had never helped her really. Now he saw, how hard she worked every day. She had to do a lot with people, had to be happy all the time, had to care for the barber, but she hadn't somebody to have real conversations. And he had always been annoyed when she had talked to him, tried to cheer the unhappy barber up. Now he really needed her company, he needed to hear her voice. Could he even live without her any more?

He felt even more guilty when she suddenly said three particular words.

"Sweeney Todd, I love you."

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**So, what do you think about it? What do you think will happen next/what do you want to happen next? Just tell me in a review :) It's my motivation to write more :D**

**I'll try to write a new chapter as fast as I can, you know ;)**


	8. Monsters, wonders and bloody customers

**Hey guys, thank you for reviewing! You're such a great motivation and inspiration for me!**

**Dark Angel, thank you for the long review ;) I tried to add some drama in this chapter and you know, I'm always open for new ideas :D**

**Well, I hope you guys like the following chapter!**

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"Nellie, how can you love a monster?" Sweeney looked at the baker. "I killed people. I'm a murderer." _How can she love a person like me?_, he thought. He didn't deserve to be loved.

"You're not a monster, my dear", Nellie answered softly. "And do you think baking corpses into pies is better than killing them? I wouldn't say that I love you if I didn't mean it."

He knew exactly that she loved him, but he always wondered why she did. The barber sighed.

"Mrs. Lovett, you're a bloody wonder", he said. A bloody wonder, she was. Beautiful and tricky.

She just smiled at him. "Mr. T., you silly man." Softly she kissed him. Sweeney pulled her closer to himself, he just wanted to feel her warmth. To kiss her was like... Well, it was impossible to describe it in words. She had such a passion, was so unpredictable.

He pulled her onto his lap and buried his fingers in her tangled, red hair. The barber was actually sitting there and kissing the woman which had never been more than his annoying neighbour and accomplice in crime. The woman he loved and who was his future.

Sweeney heard her quietly sighing. He felt her fingers on his neck, caressing him gently. She kissed him so passionately that he just wanted to take her now, right here. But he didn't know how far he could go, so he just kissed and caressed her. He wanted to show her that he really loved her.

His hand moved down to her belly.

"Your little child", Nellie whispered.

"No, _our_ child", Sweeney said and made her smile with this answer. Luckily she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Please remember me to go to the market on Monday", she said suddenly. "I need to buy groceries."

"It's just Friday, my pet."

"And that's why you should remember me, otherwise I'll forget it."

"Don't worry, I'll tell you. You're tired, aren't you?"

Nellie just nodded. Of course she was tired after working all the day. "I think I'll go to sleep."

"Good night", Sweeney said softly and gave her a kiss onto her forehead before Nellie went into her bed room. She just saw how Sweeney took one of the books on the table.

The baker smiled while putting on her night dress. She had him. Finally. The man she had dreamed of for more than fifteen years. She had a family.

Nellie knew that the barber would get over the fact that his Lucy was dead. The demon barber of Fleet Street was alive again. He wasn't Benjamin Barker, although deep inside he still was a good man, but he was Sweeney Todd. Dangerous and mysterious, she didn't know what he thought or planned and this made it exciting for her.

_I love you, my dear. _It was her last thought before falling asleep.

A knocking at the door woke her up. "Yes?", she asked sleepily. Who dared to wake her in the morning? Well, of course it was a really stupid question. Except for her, only Sweeney could be in the house.

"I have made breakfast for you, my pet." Sweeney came in with a tablet and brought it to her bed.

Nellie smiled at him. He had never brought her breakfast and now she was really grateful for it. "That's lovely." When she wanted to sit up, she suddenly got dizzy.

"Is everything all right?", Sweeney asked her. The baker nodded.

"Yes, yes. Of course it is."

Sweeney gave her a soft kiss. "You're pregnant, it's normal. Just eat something."

Maybe she should get used to the nausea and these things. She was sure that it would last for two months at least.

"I hope it is okay if I leave you now. There are things to be prepared for work", Sweeney said.

"Oh, just go on. Work needs to get done. I'm just happy that tomorrow is Sunday", Nellie answered.

Sundays were boring for the baker, but she also was happy about getting some rest.

So a new day begun.

Sweeney stared through the window. _Poor woman_, he thought. It was cold, maybe a bit too cold for the first day of October, and so Nellie had a lot of customers. In this moment, the barber actually wished that he could help her, but he had customers too. More than usual because it was Saturday.

He had stopped thinking of Lucy in the last time. Why had he tried to think that he loved Lucy after all these years? He even didn't remember how it was to touch or to kiss her. It was so unreal. Benjamin Barker might love Lucy, but he was dead. But Sweeney Todd belonged to Nellie. And only to her.

The door opened. "Good afternoon, Sir", Sweeney said politely. "What can I offer you? A shave?"

It was still a strange feeling not to kill the people which came for a shave.

"This woman, Sir", the customer started to speak while Sweeney shaved him. "Do you know whether she is married?"

"Do you mean Mrs. Lovett?", Sweeney asked bewilderedly.

"Yes, the owner of the pie shop right under your shop, Sir. She's a real wonder."

By God, why did this man ask whether Nellie was married?!

"Yes, she is married", Sweeney said as calmly as he could. How could this man even dare to _ask_ whether Nellie was married or not! And it was definitely better for her if he thought that she was.

"Where is her husband?", the man asked.

"At work", the barber answered shiftily. _Does he know that with one movement, I could send him to hell?!_, he thought angrily. He just wanted to slit the throat of this man! But he thought of Nellie, she probably wouldn't like him to do that. So he shaved him as fast as he could.

"Thank you for the shave. I wish you a nice day", the customer said before leaving.

Sweeney looked at his razor. "Bloody man! She is _mine_!", he hissed. She wasn't dependent of him and though she was _his_ woman, _his _bloody wonder!

_If he only tries to harm her, then..._ Sweeney didn't want to complete this thought when he saw that the man obviously wanted to stay for a pie.

The barber watched how it became dark outside. Not long, then he could close his shop. Nellie probably would also close her shop soon, he already saw the last people coming out. Except for this one man. No, he didn't leave, he... followed her inside!

The razor in his hand, the barber stepped downstairs silently, evil thoughts in his mind. _How about a shave, Sir?_

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**Do you like this chapter? Sorry for the cliffhanger... :p But I also need some content for the next chapter, eh? (Which I'll try to write as soon as possible!)**

**Something special you want to happen next? :)**

**Don't forget to review, Sweeney promises you a free shave! Well, a shave of the nice kind of course ;)**


	9. Different ways to love

**Hey guys, thank you so much for the lovely reviews! It's so motivating to see, that you like the story!**

**Redejeka, uhm... Yes, I think it's actually "Remind" (English isn't my first language). Thanks ;)**

**Dark Angel, I love your long reviews :D Every story has to contain some drama :p**

**And it's also great to see that I even have male readers :)**

**By the way, sometimes you can see in my stories in which mood I was while writing it... So if someone gets killes, I could have been very angry about something... xD**

**Howsoever, enough of my talking, I hope you like this chapter!**

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"I'm terrible sorry, but I have to close now, Mister", Nellie said to the man who had followed her. She really didn't want to be impolite, but it was time to close the shop now. But the man stepped closer to her.

"I've heard that your husband is at work? It would be a shame to let you spend the evening alone", he said.

Husband? Which husband? Nellie was quite confused. "I told you, I have to close now", she repeated. The baker could think of what the man wanted from her. _No!_, a voice in her mind screamed. _You won't let him do that!_

The man came closer to her with every step. She didn't know what to do – should she hurt him, try to run away? No, she didn't want to spend the evening alone. But _not_ with this man! _Please, Sweeney, help me..._, she thought desperately.

"You're a really pretty woman...", the man said when he stood right in front of Nellie.

That was enough for Sweeney. "Out!" The barber stormed into the room, the shiny razor in his hand. It seemed just to be waiting to cut something, letting blood drop.

"You bastard won't even touch her! Now get out of here and come never again!", he yelled angrily at the man. If Nellie didn't stand there, he would just stab the razor into the throat of the man.

"If I see you one more time here, it will be your death! And let Mrs. Lovett in peace, she's _mine_! _Mine!_ Did you understand me?!"

In Sweeney's eyes flashed pure rage, he looked frightening like a demon how he stood there, screaming. The strange man ran out of the shop, but the barber was still angry. He knew exactly what kind of dirty thoughts the man had had. But not with his Nellie! This man belonged definitely to the vermin of the world!

"I should have killed him! How could he just dare to... He deserves to die!" Sweeney paced yelling through the room. Suddenly he felt Nellie's hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, my dear", she said with her soft voice.

"No!" Sweeney had stopped walking, but he didn't stop yelling incensed. "Have you seen how he had looked at you?!"

"_Easy now._

_Hush, love, hush._

_Don't distress yourself,_

_What's your rush?_

_Keep your thoughts_

_Nice and lush._

_Wait._

_Hush, love, hush._

_Think it through._

_Once it bubbles, _

_Then what's to do?_

_Watch it close._

_Let it brew._

_Wait._"

Nellie actually made it to calm him down. She led him to a table and brought him some gin.

"Shh, everything is all right, love", she said silently.

"I didn't want him to harm you", Sweeney answered. Nellie smiled softly at him. "I know." She was touched by his words, how he cared for her. It was obvious that he hated that man.

He had said that she was _his _Nellie. His... Of course she was his, she had always loved the barber. Why didn't he believe her that she loved him, why? Nellie didn't know it. Maybe he feared to love or to be loved. Love could hurt more than everything else in the world. It had hurt the baker for years. Many years.

She did everything to show him how much she loved him, that he was important for her. Unlike him, she also could say what she felt.

They sat there for a while, no one was speaking. Then Sweeney took Nellie's hand.

"You're cold", the barber said.

"It's cold outside. Winter will come soon", Nellie answered. It was odd that Sweeney touched her. He had never done this after he had come back to London.

"So it will be even darker every day", the barber sighed.

"Don't tell me that you don't like the darkness, Sweeney. I thought you hate the sunlight?"

"I don't say that I don't like the darkness. There are just less people outside when it's dark."

His problem wasn't the sun, his problem was the vermin outside there. He didn't like people really much. Not after all that had happened. Yes, he was almost afraid of them. At the moment, only one person existed who he trusted – Eleanor Lovett.

The red-haired baker was... different. She understood him and did really everything for him. She had been never angry on him, always tried to bring him back to life. And it seemed as if she would have at least a little bit of success.

"You still would like to see all of the people outside dead?", Nellie asked. "Don't mind them, the only people who are worth to mind them are the ones who love you."

"The ones who love me?" There was pain in his voice. Lucy was dead. Johanna probably didn't remember him. And he couldn't understand how Nellie could love him.

"There is always somebody who loves you. I'll go to bed, my love. It's actually too cold here", Nellie sighed.

Sweeney watched how she went into her bedroom. Love. Hadn't his soul died fifteen years ago? Wasn't he nothing more than a working body? But he felt something different than pain and sorrow when he looked at Nellie. Something he had felt when looking at Lucy, but the feelings were even stronger when he saw Eleanor Lovett.

He could love. Maybe not like other people did, no, he couldn't show it because he had been alone for too long, but he loved. A little part of him loved Lucy, another part loved Johanna. And then he loved Nellie more than anything else and he loved the little baby inside her too.

Suddenly the barber started to smile slightly. There actually was a way to show that he loved her without talking much. Silently he followed her.

Nellie stood in the middle of her room when she suddenly felt two cold hands on her shoulders. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath at her neck. "It's a cold night, Mrs. Lovett, and I'm sure you don't want to spend it alone", a deep voice whispered into her ear.

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**Well, don't forget to review! I really need to know whether you like it or not. I decided NOT to kill the man, but... yeah. xD**

**And please tell me in a review, would you like to have Anthony and Johanna in the story? I really think of putting them into the story (not much, but some chapters...).**

**Have you plans for Halloween? :D I'll watch with my friends Sweeney Todd and Harry Potter and maybe Sleepy Hollow and we'll scare little kids :p I'll be Bellatrix Lestrange at Halloween :p**

**I'll try to upload soon **


	10. A cold night in London

**Thanks Redejeka, for your review :) I think I'll put Anthony and Johanna in the story, I've already planned something, but there won't be much of it**, **so don't worry :p**

**Here's the next chapter, guys! I had been kind of creative in the last time and I've written a lot... I hope you like the next chapter (and forgive me that this chapter actually should be M rated) ;)**

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A soft kiss covered her neck while her corset slowly loosened until it fell onto the floor. Nellie felt how her heart started to beat faster, how her body started to shiver slightly. His hands stroke over her arms, his lips moved to her shoulder. She took a deep breathe when the cold lips kissed her shoulder again and again.

"You just have to tell me to stop if you don't want me to do this, my pet", he whispered. Instead of answering, Nellie turned around and pressed her lips onto his. How could she ever resist this man? Of course she wanted him to do that! She longed for him to do that!

She longed for him, needed him, loved him. The baker buried her hands in his hair, forced him to deepen the kiss.

With one hand she started to unbutton his shirt. There was a passion in his kiss which she had never imagined. His hands ran down her back.

Her touches made Sweeney just longing more for her if it was even possible. He couldn't stop kissing her while taking off her dress. There was only this beautiful woman in his mind right now.

They fell onto the bed, caressing the body of each other. Nellie scratched over his shoulders and back. It hurt, but it was a thrilling pain, one which made him moan.

Hungrily Sweeney kissed her neck and sucked softly her skin, stroke over her breasts, kissed them. She gasped hard, letting him know that she liked it, that he should go on with it.

Craving flashed in his eyes, seeing the naked woman below him. He needed her, he really did. Her and nothing else.

Her skin burned under his hands and kisses, she couldn't think any more. It was like the barber had taken possession of her body and mind. When she ripped off his trousers, he moaned. He removed her last clothing too, left red marks on her thighs. His hands and lips seemed to be everywhere, hurting and lovingly at once.

Eleanor clawed her nails into his back, the scratches were almost deep enough to blood.

Sweeney bit her shoulder, moaned into her ear. She couldn't breathe controlled, her heart seemed to break out of her chest. Sweeney hold her waist, pressing his hips against hers.

"Eleanor, please... Just let me do this...", he groaned.

"I won't stop you", she gasped, throwing her head back moaning. It almost sounded like a begging of her. All the passionate kisses, all the intense touches made her craving to feel him inside her.

Shortly after he thrust inside her, her hips moved almost automatically against him. He hold her arms over her head, making it impossible for her to touch him, but still possible to kiss him with all her passion. It was a real torture for Eleanor, but she didn't want something else. She knew that she also hurt him and was sure that he had scratches on his whole back.

He moaned loudly between their kisses, full of longing for this woman as she bit his lower lip slightly.

Her whole body was strained and when it was almost unendurable, Eleanor screamed. Yes, she screamed so that probably the whole street could hear her, but she had to let it out. Almost at the same moment, Sweeney broke down over her, gasping hard. His head sunk onto her breast, she was breathless. The breath of both went hard and uncontrolled. Gently she stroke over his hair, kissing him softly.

Sweeney laid down beside her, pressing her to his body. She shivered, but he did too. So he put the blanket over them and kissed her lips while caressing her cheek. Nellie smiled at him warmly.

"You're so beautiful...", Sweeney whispered. Every part of her was beautiful for him. Her face, her pale skin, her eyes, her lips. Her character. She gave him everything that he needed to stay alive.

"There was this man", she started to speak, "and do you know what he did? He made me falling in love with him immediately."

"Well, that's a really cruel crime", he answered.

"Yes, it is. Getting me out of my mind, how can you dare?" Every day, he did. Nellie had never loved someone like she loved Sweeney Todd. She was so lucky at the moment when she just laid in his arms. He held her and caressed her.

So many nights she had dreamed of it and now she still wondered whether it was real. Or would she wake up and realize that it was actually a dream? All the years she had dreamed of being loved, loved by this one man. And now it seemed as if she got his love.

Nellie felt a little kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes, not stopping to smile. In this moment, her life was perfect. And she definitely wouldn't mind spending more cold nights like this.

Oh, Sweeney loved watching how she slept. She was so silent and he had time to think. He really enjoyed having her beside him. The barber couldn't help but to smile at the sleeping woman. Sometimes, she annoyed him, but her company also calmed him somehow.

To be loved by someone – he hadn't had this feeling for the last fifteen years. But Eleanor Lovett did, she loved him.

Sweeney had been so naïve, so obsessed by revenge. He had never noticed the baker really. Or had he, deep inside? Had he noticed that there had always been somebody who loved him? He didn't know.

He in fact should have realized it, shouldn't he? All the things she had done for him... Not because she was only a good person, no, she _loved _him.

The barber really could imagine having a life with Nellie. Having a family with her. There were so many thoughts in his mind. This woman could please him in every way.

_We will have a life, we two... Three_, he thought, giving her the last kiss in this cold London night.

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**Well, tell me what you think. I've already written the next chapter, so be kind and review :p Otherwise I won't upload and you won't get free meat pies o.o **


	11. Would he marry her?

**Thank you for the reviews! I love you guys xx**

**winterpaw99, I'll think of your idea ;) Maybe I can actually write something like that. But there'll be a death for sure, I promise xD**

**TilenaForever, of course I read your story :D (And I really like it^^)**

**So, here's another chapter, I hope you like it.**

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"Did you sleep well, my pet?" Sweeney smiled at Nellie slightly and stroke a strand of her hair out of her face. He already had been awake for a while, but there was absolutely no reason for him to stand up. Above all because there was this pretty woman sleeping in his arms like a little child.

"Yes... How late is it?", she asked sleepily. She was really kind of cute when she just had woken up. Her red hair was completely messed up, more than usual, after what they had done last night.

"Does it matter? It's Sunday." No work, no need to hurry.

Nellie yawned and smiled at him then. His hand rested on her belly. Softly she stroke over his arm.

"I've hurt you last night...", she muttered. There were more scratches on his arm than she had expected. But he shook his head. "You didn't." Besides, he had hurt her too...

"Is there anything you want to do today, my dear?", the baker asked.

_Holding you in my arms for the rest of day. _"Anything you say", Sweeney answered. It was raining outside, so there were not many possibilities to do something today. But if there was something that Nellie wanted to do, he would do it. Well, he exactly knew, what he _should_ do. He had finally decided it, but he didn't know how to say it to her.

Carefully he caressed Nellie's belly.

"Thank you for giving me a child", he muttered. This time, he would see his child growing up.

"Are you lucky?" She looked hopefully at him with her big, brown eyes. Sweeney stroke over her cheek and touched her lips slightly.

"Of course. And I know how lucky _you_ are, Nellie."

Yes, she was lucky. More than lucky. Having a child had always been a dream of her and it had seemed as if the dream would never become true. And now she was pregnant. She carried the child of the man she loved inside her. Still she wondered what he felt for her, whether she was more for him than just his landlady, neighbour and the mother of his child. It seemed as if he would do actually more than liking her, but who knew what the barber was really thinking? She was lucky about every smile of him, every emotion which he showed to her.

"I'll make breakfast for us", she said. Her baby was obviously really hungry. But when she wanted to stand up, she immediately sunk onto her pillow again. This nausea would make her getting mad!

"Maybe I should make breakfast", Sweeney suggested.

"No, no. I just should stand up more slowly." Nellie shook her head. Finally she stood then, but she remembered that she was wearing absolutely nothing.

"Putting on some clothes would be useful too", she muttered, more to herself.

Sweeney actually had to suppress a laugh. He really wouldn't mind if she wore nothing. Then he started putting on his clothes too. Nellie shouldn't cook always alone, she was working enough.

So they went into the kitchen. It was nice to prepare breakfast together. Nellie involved him fast into the work in the kitchen and shortly, really shortly, Sweeney thought of Lucy. Sometimes he had helped her too.

_Stop comparing her with Lucy_, he told himself. Lucy and Eleanor were two different women. Lucy belonged to Benjamin Barker and Eleanor belonged to Sweeney Todd.

He had been so naïve. The years in fact had changed him, why had he thought he could come back to Lucy? Sweeney Todd, the man who he was now, and Lucy would never fit together. But Sweeney Todd and Eleanor Lovett – yes, this could work. And it _would_ work.

Later, in the afternoon, Sweeney and Nellie were sitting on the couch, reading a book and drinking tea. Nellie felt his gazes at her the whole time. Did he want to tell her something? So many things had happened and though her thoughts tried to tear her into two parts.

Hadn't he told her that they can have a life together? In the night when she had told him about her pregnancy...

She had to smile, thinking of holding a little baby in her arms. Would it look like it's father? Would it have the same beautiful eyes like him? Would it be a boy or a girl?

But the people would judge her. She was pregnant, but not married. Would Sweeney marry her? Maybe. Maybe not. She didn't know. Well, how should she? She couldn't read his thoughts, she even couldn't read the expression in his dark eyes. The baker saw when Sweeney was angry and she knew when he was depressed because he was the most time, but she couldn't find out more. And she just couldn't ask him to marry her, right?

Suddenly, Sweeney stood up and walked over to the window.

He needed to say it. He shouldn't wait longer with it.

"Lucy is dead", he said, making it once more clear to himself. It was time to let Lucy behind now, to concentrate on what would be in the future.

The barber actually didn't know how to start. He wasn't very romantic and he wasn't a man of many words.

"Yes, she is", Nellie sighed. She had walked over to him and stood now behind him.

"You're right, Nellie", Sweeney went on with speaking. "Life is for the alive. Although there are many people who deserve to die. But you are important for me. Don't think that I wouldn't care about you because..."

He hesitated. Exactly three words were in his mind, three words which he _wanted_ to say, but he couldn't. He knew that it was foolish because there was nothing to lose, it would be only the truth. The barber sighed quietly.  
Then he turned around to face the obviously confused baker and took her hands.

"Eleanor Lovett, will you marry me?"

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**What do you think? Let me know whether you liked it :)**

**I think Nellie suffered so much in her life, so I think she deserves that her dreams come true...**

**Don't forget to review, I promise that I'll upload soon! **


	12. The need of Eleanor Lovett

**Thank you to all my reviewers, followers and whoever reads this fanfic! I have no idea what I would do without your great support... Probably I even wouldn't wirte a fanfiction xD**

**So THANK YOU!**

**winterpaw99, thanks for the ideas :) A dog or cat... We'll see, maybe I can do something. I don't know how the story is going to develop^^**

**I hope you guys like this chapter :)**

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Surprised she stared at him. She couldn't believe what he had asked her a few seconds ago. Had he? Or was she dreaming? She didn't know whether it was just a too realistic seeming dream. Sweeney Todd has asked her to marry him!

"Are... Are you sure that you want..."  
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it", Sweeney interrupted her. Nellie felt how tears formed in her eyes. Why did she cry now... She should be lucky, shouldn't she?

Nellie couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't think. Sweeney led her to the couch and pulled her onto his lap.

"Why... I mean... You wanted to kill me...", she muttered. Sweeney didn't answer to this. He just wiped away her tears away softly and sighed.

"Eleanor. That's not the answer to my question."

Why would he have any reason to marry her? Had the demon barber started to love again, someone else than his Lucy? Did he love her, Eleanor Lovett? Nellie didn't know why it was so hard to give him an answer. She loved him! How often had she dreamed that he would ask her this question?

He deserved an answer, and her answer would be honest. Whatever his reason to marry her was and although she didn't understand it, it was what she really wanted.

She looked into his eyes. "I will."

Sweeney smiled at her softly. He wanted to say something, but she already had pressed her lips onto his. The barber loved the feeling of her soft lips, how she kissed him every single time.

"How do you know that I wanted to kill you, my pet?", he whispered.

"It was obvious. We all deserve to die, do you remember?" A small smile formed on her lips.

"The vermin of the world. And you don't belong to it, Nellie." No, of course she didn't! Maybe _he_ did, but definitely not Nellie.

She put her finger onto his lips. "Shut up, my love. Before someone of us dies, I'll become your wife."

After his return to London, Sweeney hadn't imagined to marry again. Or even to love again. And what was the demon barber of Fleet Street doing now? Smiling at a woman who he loved, asking her to marry him and expecting a child with her.

He wouldn't forget what had happened to him and he wouldn't forgive the people who had done it to him, but he would love too. Some few persons at least.

"Sweeney?", she asked.

"Hm?"

"Would you stay with me tonight?" It seemed to be more a request than a question.

"Of course." _What a stupid question. Of course I will, I love you!_, he added in his mind. He had promised himself to care for Nellie every night. Probably he would do whatever she would ask anyway by the way she looked at him.

"I'll be right back", Sweeney said and kissed her on the forehead. He just needed to get his stuff from upstairs. Perhaps he should move downstairs? What did he do in his part of the house at the moment? Just working. But he lived with Nellie. He came down for breakfast, he came down after work and he didn't leave her at night. Though it wasn't bad to have different parts of the house. But howsoever, he really should take some stuff of him downstairs.

Nellie went into her bedroom and changed her clothes to a nightdress.

Life was almost _too_ nice to her in the last time. First, she had got pregnant and now Sweeney had asked her to marry him... How long would it last? It was impossible that there was so much joy in life at once. After all the pain and sadness it was wonderful, yes, but life couldn't be only perfect.

Suddenly the door opened and Nellie jumped frightened. "Sweeney! Do you have fun at giving me a fright?!"

"Actually... yes."

"You'll regret it", the baker answered with an almost evil smile. Yes, she would find a way to take revenge. Not that she really meant it, it was nothing more than a little game, but why shouldn't she do something if he had obviously so much fun? At least she was a woman! But it was impossible to play the angry woman for longer. Sweeney looked too cute in his pyjama. He seemed to be like a little boy and at the same time, he was the man to who so many bad things had happened.

Nellie let her hair fall over her shoulders. Maybe she should hide his razors?

"Do you want me to go?", Sweeney asked and raised an eyebrow, noticing her grin.

"No!", she said, like a little child, and grabbed his arm. "You'll stay here, don't think that you can just go now!" And for the first time after more than fifteen years, she heard him laughing quietly.

Sweeney took her softly at her shoulders. He sat down on the bed and made her sit between his legs. Then he started to massage her back. She had often complained after work that every part of her body hurt.

He smiled, he had no idea what this woman was doing with him, but it felt right. She brought him joy and she showed him the feeling to be loved by someone. She was a bloody wonder, could love a murderer without any fear and with the knowing that he had wanted to kill her.

A stupid man, he was. Where would he live without Nellie? How would he live without her? He probably would have ended up on the street if she hadn't been so kind. Sweeney needed her. He needed her like nothing else in the world.

She was like a therapy for him, made him forget all sorrows...

Eleanor Lovett, a bloody wonder she was, eminently practical and yet appropriate as always. How did he live without her all these years? He'd never know.

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	13. Those who can wait

**Thanks for reviewing xx**

**So you want them to get a pet? We'll see ;)**

**I know, I know, it's a kind of sadomasochistic chapter... But I'm innocent! Everything's Sweeney's and Nellie's fault! :D**

**I hope you like it^^**

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One day, Sweeney just sat in his barber chair. In his hands he held a picture of his Johanna. On the picture, she was a little baby. He didn't know how she looked like now. Like her mother? Once more the past had caught him.

"_Goodbye, Johanna._

_You're gone and yet your mine._

_I'm fine, Johanna._

_I'm fine..."_

Sadly the barber stroke with his fingertips over the picture. He missed his daughter. She wouldn't remember him... Did Anthony care fore her? Did they have a place to live? And would he ever see them again...? Suddenly he heard a soft voice from the door.

"_Slow, love, slow._

_Time's so fast._

_Now goes quickly,_

_See, now it's past._

_Soon will come,_

_Soon will stay._

_Wait._

_Don't you know,_

_Silly man?_

_Half the fun is to plan the plan._

_All good things come to those who can_

_Wait."_

Nellie knelt in front of him. "She'll be fine", she said softly. The baker could understand him very well. To lose his child, not seeing it growing up... She really hoped that Johanna was all right. Poor thing, had to grow up without a mother but in the mercy of a cruel man. The baker would have done everything to get her back to Sweeney. But it had been impossible. At least the girl hadn't to live with said cruel man any more.

Sweeney's black eyes were full of sadness. With Nellie he wasn't unhappy, of course not. Maybe he didn't really show it, but he was. But the fact that he didn't know what happened with Johanna saddened him though. After all she was his daughter and a father usually cared for his daughter.

Slightly Nellie started to stroke his thighs up and down.

"Stop it", he said. If she didn't stop, he would lose control – he knew it. He wouldn't be able to resist her, he would want to kiss her, to hold her, to... hurt her. With every touch of her, every gaze of her, he felt his body craving for her.

She didn't stop.

"I told you to stop!", Sweeney yelled at her. Then, with a fast movement, he grabbed Nellie's wrists, stood up and pushed her onto the chair.

_You didn't want it another way, Eleanor Lovett_, he thought. Now he stood behind the chair and held a razor against her throat. No, it wasn't his intention to hurt her seriously and Nellie knew this too.

She sighed when his rough lips touched the skin of her neck.

"Why... are you... doing... this... to me, you... bloody woman...?", Sweeney moaned while his lips moved down to her collarbone.

She was completely in his mercy, the razor at her throat, his lips on her skin, his other hand slipping behind her back to open the corset. Eleanor hardly couldn't breathe as his lips moved down slowly. A moan escaped her throat, feeling his hand on her thighs. The worst thing was that she couldn't move because of the razor.

With closed eyes she sat there, letting the barber do with her whatever he wanted.

Suddenly he stood in front of her and leaned over her. Eleanor ripped off his vest and shirt while he pressed his lips on hers. Sweeney shoved her dress up, letting his hands slid over her body longingly until she was undressed. His touches let her body shiver.

She gasped hard when she felt how the barber cut her neck with a razor. Not deep enough to kill her, but enough to make her bleed. Craving sparkled in their eyes.

Eleanor pushed him onto the floor and leaned over him. Sweeney moaned as her lips moved over his breast. Some blood dropped onto his body and left a red line. The touch of her lips was like a torture for him. Her kisses were soft and though so intensive. He couldn't control himself with this woman.

The barber turned her onto her back so that she laid below him. Full of lust and longing for her he started to kiss the little cut on Nellie's neck, tasting her warm blood. Why... Why did she let him do such things?

Eleanor started to open his trouser and within seconds they were both completely naked, lying moaning on the floor. She clawed her nails into his back when he kissed her passionately, bringing her own blood to her lips.

It was impossible to divorce the invisible string between the barber and the baker. Too much they longed for each other, too much they needed each other.

The baker loved the way he hurt her. No one else could make her feel like he did, no one else could inflame her passion like he did.

Her pain was his thrill, he wanted to hear her scream, he wanted to feel her scratching his body.

Screams, moans, passionate kisses filled the 186 Fleet Street in this afternoon...

"You have some blood there, love", Nellie whispered and stroke over Sweeney's lips.

"You too", he answered and kissed her softly. Again dressed, they stood at the window. "One thing, my pet... Why do you let me do this?" Carefully the barber touched the cut on her neck with one fingertip.

"I don't have a problem with it as long as you don't kill me", she smiled. "But maybe we should get off all that blood... In case that someone sees us, if you know what I mean."

"Of course."

She really didn't mind when he hurt her... He just shouldn't hurt her heart.

_I would be grateful if he just could see Johanna. He'd be happy..._, the baker thought. But what should she do? Since Sweeney Todd had returned to London, she tried everything to cheer him up. She had even cared more for him than for herself.

Now he gave her so much and though she didn't know whether it was true love.

"Do you know what? I'm hungry", the baker said.

"So let's go downstairs and prepare some food", Sweeney suggested. Pregnant women...

With a smile Nellie gave him a little kiss. The cold air showed that it already was the middle of October. But when they started to walk downstairs, Sweeney suddenly froze.

What he saw on the street was quite impossible. Had Nellie been right? It seemed as if actually all good things came to those who could... wait.

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**Now, what do you think? Please be so kind and give me some reviews, I need to know your opinion!**

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	14. The barber's daughter

**Firstly, thank you for the lovely reviews xx**

**In the last chapter, I had been quite inspired by "Bed of Nails" and "Poison" by Alice Cooper... uhm, yes. Howsoever, I'm glad you liked it :)**

**I hope that you like this chapter too, I know there's pretty much dialouge and it definitely isn't my shortest chapter, but that gives you more to read :p**

**So here we go!**

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Sweeney Todd couldn't believe what he saw. It couldn't be true! Was he completely daft now? Maybe a hallucination? Two young people walked down the street, straight towards 186 Fleet Street.

Anthony. Sweeney recognized him immediately. And then there was this girl beside him. She looked so much like Lucy, she had the same yellow hair...

"Johanna!", the barber whispered almost soundlessly. Was it really Johanna, his little Johanna? He felt how Nellie put her hand onto his back and led him downstairs. It could be only Johanna!

"Come. I'll manage it", Nellie said quietly. Manage it? What did this woman mean with that?

"Mr. Todd!", Anthony said with a big grin. "We came here to thank you and..."

"Why don't you thank Mr. Todd inside? Come in, you two", Nellie interrupted him smiling and shooed them into her pie shop.

"Take a seat", she said and brought a bottle to the table.

"Some gin for the gentlemen?"

Anthony nodded. "Thank you, Ma'am."

Sweeney didn't really realize what they were doing around him. _Manage it._ What did she want to manage?! His daughter was right in front of him and Nellie talked in riddles and of course too much. Bloody woman.

"You're Johanna, aren't you?" Nellie looked at the young girl. "Would you mind coming with me into the kitchen?" She could see that Sweeney and Anthony were obviously confused by her. But she needed to talk with Johanna. The girl deserved to know the truth... And for sure it would be better if Nellie talked with her. She knew Sweeney well enough to know that he wasn't able to say it. _I'm sorry, Sweeney, but you'll see her later_, the baker thought. Of course he wanted to see his daughter, but it would probably end in a catastrophe. It was only for his best.

Johanna followed Nellie.

"Anthony has told me a lot about Mr. Todd, Ma'am, and about you", Johanna said, watching the kitchen. "What do you want to talk with me about, Mrs. Lovett?"

"You can just call me Nellie", the baker smiled. So how should she start?

"Do you have a place to live?"

"Oh, yes. Anthony had found a little house. We have enough money too. I mean, we aren't rich, but we can have a good life.", Johanna answered.

"That's great", Nellie said. _So they have a good life at least_, she thought.

"Johanna... What has Anthony told you about Mr. Todd?" Nellie definitely was curious. She had always wanted to know everything, but above all if it was about Sweeney.

"I heard that he's helpful and the best barber in London."  
"He is...", Nellie sighed. Not always helpful to the baker, but for sure the best barber. She liked Johanna really much, at least the girl would be her stepdaughter, but she wouldn't shock her with something like _'By the way, I'm going to be your stepmother.'_

Johanna should find out the things one by one. So Nellie would start with the most important thing.

"Do you remember your parents?"

Johanna shook her head. "No. I lived with Judge Turpin for my whole life. Nellie... Did you know my parents?"

Nellie nodded slightly. "I knew them, yes. Shall I tell you about them?"

"Yes, please."

"Well, they lived above my shop. Until your father had to leave London... It was the judge's fault. Your father hadn't done something wrong, he only was married to the woman the judge wanted. And so he got her. Your mother couldn't take it any more, the judge had been so cruel... She poisoned herself, poor thing. I tried to stop her, I told her that you needed a mother, that she should think of you. She didn't listen to me."

Nellie stared into the air. The memories weren't nice. Her dark eyes had a really sad expression, thinking back to the past. Although she never liked Lucy much, she was somehow sorry for her. Of course Nellie was sorry for Johanna too, but it hurt her the most to remember how Benjamin Barker had been banished from London. Forever. Benjamin Barker had never returned. Instead of him, Sweeney Todd had returned.

"What about my father?", Johanna asked. "Do you know whether he is alive?" Nellie could see the tears in her eyes. Gently the baker took the hand of the girl.

"Yes", Nellie answered and smiled softly. She would tell her the truth, she would tell her who her father was. "Your father is Mr. Todd."

"You see, Mr. Todd, we heard that the judge and the beadle had disappeared... Howsoever, we wanted to thank you. You have done so much for me."

"It was self-evident, Anthony." Sweeney tried to sit calmly at the table. His daughter was here, in his house – well, Nellie's house – and he even hadn't the chance to speak with her because said Nellie Lovett had brought her into the kitchen! What were they doing? What would Nellie tell Johanna?!

And suddenly they stood there. Both. Nellie had a smile on her lips, but Johanna cried.

"So, here's your dad", Nellie said. Anthony seemed to be more than confused. Sweeney stared first at Johanna, then at Nellie, then again at Johanna. So she actually had told her that he was her father...

He didn't know what he should do. But Johanna stepped towards him and just hugged him.

"Johanna... My little Johanna...", he whispered. He had his daughter back. After all these years. After all these years he could hold her in his arms again.

The barber saw a smiling Eleanor Lovett who sat down next to Anthony. And Anthony didn't understand anything.

Johanna smiled at Sweeney.

"Hello dad", she muttered. She really looked like her mother...

Anthony brought Sweeney back to the present. "Am I the only one who doesn't know what's going on?"

"It's a long story, but she's in fact his daughter", Nellie sighed. She didn't want to explain everything now and there were too many things which no one should know.

"Ma'am?"  
"I think it will be the best if Johanna tells you about it. And please, call me Nellie." Then she looked at Johanna. "Would you two maybe like to stay for a night or two? I think this family has been divorced for too long."

"Of course we'd like to stay... Anthony?", Johanna smiled.

Anthony nodded. "Of course."

_God in Heaven, now please let Sweeney be lucky too_, Nellie thought. Johanna obviously was. It seemed as if she was very happy to know that she still had a father. Well, maybe she just shouldn't find out that he had killed people.

Finally even Sweeney started to speak.

"You can sleep in the room above the shop."

"Mr. Todd? Where will you sleep then?", Anthony asked. Oh, of course the young couple didn't know everything... And maybe they wouldn't find out everything _today_. But then Sweeney said something Nellie definitely hadn't expected.

"I'll sleep together with my fiancée, where else?"

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**Now, what do you think of it? As Sweeney is happy to have his daughter back, he offers a free shave to everyone who reviews (you'll survive it, don't worry, he's in a good mood!) ;D That's what he just told me o.o**

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